59: Could it really be him?

Outside the manor, a deadly net of gunfire and bullets intertwined, with flames soaring into the sky, as if a doomsday purgatory had descended upon the human world.

Deafening explosions resounded one after another, and rolling smoke, like a demon's cape, billowed and spread wantonly, quickly filling the surrounding air with a pungent, choking smell.

A scorching Qi wave, carrying the acrid smoke, surged violently towards the Lu Family Manor.

Wherever it passed, flowers and plants withered from the scorching heat, and the flagstone path became scalding hot, as if it would melt in the next second.

The maids inside the manor were thrown into disarray by this sudden change, like a flock of startled white doves, scrambling out from every corner in a panic.

They wore maid uniforms of a unified style, with slim-fitting black dresses tailored to fit their tall and graceful figures.

Their eyes, like sparkling stars hidden in clear autumn waters, usually flowed with gentle playfulness, but now they were completely filled with terror.

"W-w-what... what happened?"

"I don't know, it feels like a fight broke out..."

"Who is so bold as to dare to shoot at the Lu Family Manor?"

"Could it be Lu Chen's enemy?"

"It's terrifying, we won't be in danger, will we?"

"It shouldn't be, you know how strict the security is here, I don't think anyone can break in..."

"It's better to be safe than sorry..."

The maids gathered together, covering their ears, seemingly wanting to block out the earth-shattering gunfire, whispering loudly, their pretty faces full of fright.

Their eyes, looking at the soaring flames outside the Lu Family Manor, were filled with horror and helplessness, like lambs awaiting slaughter facing the claws of a hungry wolf.

In their panic, a maid accidentally knocked over a carved ceramic flowerpot nearby.

With a loud "clatter."

The flowerpot shattered into several pieces, soil splattered, and the delicate flowers fell apart into mud, just like their own scattered hearts at this moment.

Chen Mengyao and Xun Xiaoxiao, anxious as burning fires, stumbled out of the laundry room.

The wet stains on their hands were too urgent to wipe away, and strings of water droplets slid down their fingertips, splashing tiny flowers of water on the flagstone path.

Inside the laundry room, a faint clean scent of laundry soap still lingered, and semi-dry clothes hung on hangers, now gently swaying with the wind stirred up by the two women.

Chen Mengyao wore a simple cook's uniform, the light blue fabric fresh and elegant, like a clear spring sky, but now it was full of wrinkles from her hurried running.

A few strands of hair hung loosely beside her flushed cheeks, further highlighting her delicate face and her current panic and helplessness.

Xun Xiaoxiao's face also showed an unconcealed panic, her shirt collar slightly open, and her hair a bit disheveled.

The two soon arrived at the corridor outside the laundry room.

The classical oil paintings hanging on the corridor walls were now shaking slightly from the vibrations, the peaceful pastoral scenery in the frames forming a stark contrast with the Chaos outside.

The two women exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and anxious confusion.

Xun Xiaoxiao's delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her mouth wide open, panting rapidly, her voice trembling:

"Mengyao, this commotion is too big, what on earth happened? Our Lu Family Manor has never encountered such a situation!"

Chen Mengyao bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth until a shallow bloodstain appeared, her eyes slightly moist, and she stammered, shaking her head:

"I don't know, Xiaoxiao, could it be that an enemy has come knocking?"

Xun Xiaoxiao shook her head, a bewildered expression on her face: "That shouldn't be, Lu Chen's enemies were dealt with by him long ago. Where in Yanjing would Lu Chen still have enemies now...?"

"Let's go out and see," Chen Mengyao said softly.

She didn't know why, but her immediate concern wasn't for herself, but for Lu Chen, that bad guy who often bullied her... This feeling was very complex, and Chen Mengyao didn't know how to explain it.

After thinking about it, she finally attributed it to the fact that she still needed Lu Chen to pay her salary, so of course, she didn't want anything to happen to Lu Chen.

Moreover, Lu Chen was also her benefactor, so she would even less wish for anything to happen to Lu Chen.

Hmm, it should be like this... Chen Mengyao reined in her thoughts. At this moment, she only wanted to eagerly see Lu Chen, to see if he was injured, if he was in danger, if he was safe...

Their footsteps unconsciously quickened, skirts and hemlines fluttering in the wind, as they jogged along the corridor.

Inside a room of one of the buildings.

Gao Xuewei sat on the bed, gently cradling Xiao Xi in her arms, softly humming a gentle lullaby: "Sleep, sleep, my dear baby..."

Her voice was gentle, like a soft spring breeze, weaving a tranquil dream for Xiao Xi.

The room's lighting was soft, pink bed curtains gently draped, and Xiao Xi's beloved plush toys were placed by the bed.

However, at this very moment!

The sound of fierce fighting erupted without warning!

Xiao Xi's slowly closing eyelids instantly widened.

Her eyes, like a bursting dam, filled with tears, her small face crumpled into a ball, her little mouth pouted, and she burst into a heart-wrenching wail of "Wah!": "Mommy, I'm scared!"

The cry was mournful and sharp, carrying the unique helplessness and fear of a child.

Her small body curled into a ball, trembling, her hands gripping Gao Xuewei's clothes like pincers.

Her fingernails almost dug into the fabric, as if by doing so she could grasp the last shred of security and escape the nightmare before her.

The bitter days of being trapped in the Gao Family's "dog kennel" in the past reappeared in her mind like a raging flood.

The sounds of beatings, curses, and threats from that time intertwined with the booming gunfire of the present, plunging her into extreme panic.

Gao Xuewei's eyes reddened with heartache, her nose stinging, as she held Xiao Xi tightly in her arms, rhythmically stroking her back, constantly murmuring:

"Don't be scared, don't be scared, Mommy is here, everything will be fine."

She looked out the window, and worry instantly filled her eyes.

Outside the window, thick smoke billowed like churning ink clouds, and flames occasionally shot up into the night sky, seemingly wanting to burn through the night and tear apart the firmament.

The explosions made the windows rattle, and the glass vibrated with a hum, as if it would shatter into a thousand sharp blades in the next second.

In the distant garden, the meticulously trimmed bushes were disheveled by the Qi wave, and delicate flowers lay scattered.

The water in the fountain pool was also shaken, splashing everywhere, and the originally clear and calm surface became turbid.

What on earth was happening outside?

Could it be the Gao Family coming for revenge?

No, it's impossible.

The Gao Family doesn't have that much guts.

Then who could it be...? Gao Xuewei's thoughts were a tangled mess, and a familiar yet unfamiliar name suddenly flashed through her mind!

The next moment,

Her body stiffened as if struck by an electric current, her pupils contracted sharply, and she murmured: "Could it really be him?"

Her hands unconsciously clenched the bedsheets, her knuckles turning white.

It's impossible, he disappeared for so many years without a trace, how could he appear out of thin air?

But this inexplicably ignited war, this inexplicably descended calamity, stirred a strong, ineffable premonition in her heart.

Outside the window, the wind howled like wailing ghosts, making the curtains flutter violently, mirroring her own chaotic and wavering emotions at this moment.

The gunfire outside the Lu Family Manor continued unabated, flames reddened half the sky, and thick smoke churned the night sky above the Lu Family Manor into Chaos.

Just as everyone was in a panic and at a loss,

Lu Chen's figure appeared in the Lu Family Manor as if descending from the sky, striding purposefully into everyone's sight.